Arranging packet-switched data transmission in wireless system

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for arranging packet-switched data transmission in a wireless system. The method activates a packet data transmission context between a mobile station and a network element providing wireless packet-switched data transmission, a first address being attached to the transmission context. In addition to the first address, a second address is attached to the transmission context. The packets, whose IP address field includes the second address or just the first address, are transmitted using the established transmission context.

1 . A method for arranging packet-switched data transmission in a wireless system, which method comprises: 
 activating a packet-data transmission context between a mobile station and a network element providing wireless packet-switched data transmission, a first address being included in said transmission context, wherein the transmission context is provided with a second address, in addition to the first address, and    transferring packets, whose IP address field comprises the second  10  address or the first address, by using the established transmission context.    
     
     
         2 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the second address is part of the first address, and 
 the packets, whose IP address comprises the second address or only the first address are transmitted by using the established transmission context.    
     
     
         3 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first address is in the IPv6 address format and the second address is in the IPv4 address format.  
     
     
         4 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the received downlink packets are checked for a destination IP address field in the network element and the uplink packets are checked for a source IP address field in the mobile station.  
     
     
         5 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the system supports the GPRS standard and the transmission context is a PDP context.  
     
     
         6 . A method as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the first address and the second address are determined in a GGSN node of the system in response to a need to activate a PDP context for a wireless mobile station, 
 the first address and the second address are stored in PDP context information,    the first address and the second address are transmitted to the mobile station,    the first address and the second address are stored in the PDP context data, and    the mobile station is arranged to transmit the packets with the second address or the first address as the source address by using the PDP context.    
     
     
         7 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first address also comprises an information field and 
 information relating to the transmission context is conveyed in the information field.    
     
     
         8 . A wireless data communications system comprising at least one mobile station and a network element providing wireless packet-switched data transmission, in which 
 the network element and the mobile station are configured to activate a packet data transmission context, which includes a first address,    the network element and the mobile station are configured to provide the transmission context with a second address, in addition to the first address, and    the network element and the mobile station are configured to transfer the packets, whose IP address field comprises the second address or the first address, by using the established transmission context.    
     
     
         9 . A mobile station comprising a transceiver for arranging wireless packet-switched data transmission, wherein 
 the mobile station is configured to activate the packet data transmission context with the network element providing wireless packet-switched data transmission,    the mobile station is configured to provide the transmission context with a second address, in addition to the first address, and    the mobile station is configured to transmit the packets, whose source IP address is or is determined to be the second address or the first address, by using the established transmission context.    
     
     
         10 . A mobile station as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the second address is part of the first address, and 
 the mobile station is configured to transmit the packets, whose IP address field comprises the second address or only the first address, by using the established transmission context.    
     
     
         11 . A mobile station as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the mobile station is configured to determine the second address from the first address received from the network element.  
     
     
         12 . A mobile station as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the first address is in the IPv6 address format and the second address is in the IPv4 format.  
     
     
         13 . A mobile station as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the mobile station is configured to support the GPRS standard and the transmission context is a PDP context.  
     
     
         14 . A mobile station as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the mobile station is configured to store the first address received from the GGSN node and the second address in the data of the activated PDP context, and 
 the mobile station is configured to transmit the packets with the second address or the first address as the source address by using said PDP context.    
     
     
         15 . A mobile station as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the mobile station is configured to determine the content of an information field comprised by the received first address, and 
 the mobile station is configured to use said content for the transmission context.    
     
     
         16 . A network element for a network providing wireless packet-switched data transmission, in which 
 the network element is configured to activate a packet data transmission context for a mobile station,    the network element is configured to provide the transmission context with a second address, in addition to the first address, and    the network element is configured to transmit the packets whose destination IP address field comprises the second address or the first address, by using the established transmission context.    
     
     
         17 . A network element as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the second address is part of the first address, and 
 the network element is configured to transmit the packets, whose IP address field comprises the second address or only the first address, by using the established transmission context.    
     
     
         18 . A network element as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the first address is in the IPv6 address format and the second address is in the IPv4 address format.  
     
     
         19 . A network element as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the network element is configured to serve as a GGSN node according to the GPRS standard, and the transmission context is a PDP context.  
     
     
         20 . A network element as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the network element is configured to determine the first address and the second address in response to a need to activate a PDP context for a mobile station, 
 the network element is configured to store the first address and the second address in the PDP context information, and    the network element is configured to transmit the first address and the second address to the mobile station.    
     
     
         21 . A network element as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the network element is configured to determine in the first address an information field comprising information on the use of the transmission context.